Wheel cover



G. A. LYON WHEEL COVER Oct. 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 26, 1956 I b wr $11 Geozye A berz 1012 G. A. LYON WHEEL COVER Oct. 9, 1962 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 26, 1956 LIVE 22227 T" Georye A/berf L yon United States Patent 3 Claims. (c1. 301-37 The present invention relates to improvements in covers for disposition at the outer side of vehicle wheels, and more particularly concerns structure in such covers attaining substantially new and improved ornamental effects.

The present invention is a division of my application Serial No. 561,453 filed January 26, 1956, now Patent No. 2,977,917 issued April 4, 1961.

In the manufacture of wheel covers, sheet metal strip or plate of thin gauge is drawn into desirable configurtion generally comprising working the material into circular areas to afford the preferred contour in radial crosssection. It is then desirable to polish the outer face of the cover member in order to afford the finished smooth lustrous surface finish for not only attractiveness of appearance but also ease in cleaning. However, where it is desired to provide configurations in at least certain of the circular areas, the problem arises that production polishing and buffing equipment will operate economically and efficiently primarily on continuous circular areas and where there are recesses or high points or areas interrupting the circular area surfaces costly hand polishing or bufling must be resorted to instead of automatic high speed continuous mass production procedures. At least,

it is generally necessary to supplement the automatic high speed polishing and buffing with manual touch-up. This is especially true where the configuration drawing is fairly shallow in depth within the permissible tensile range of the worked material of the drawn circular areas.

During working of the material into the preferred concentric circular area shape, substantially work hardening takes place, and this is especially true where substantial bending, stretching or other shaping of the material is elfected incident to the shaping. Therefore, when it is desired to provide rib or spoke-like configurations in generally radial direction across a selected circular portion of the cover by displacing the material of the cover out of the plane of the selected circular area, or depressing portions of the selected circular area or areas, the problem of rupturing of the material is encountered. In such an area the ribbing or depressing displacement has heretofore necessarily been carefully controlled to a fairly shallow depth to avoid rupturing the material. This imposes rather narrow limits upon the depth and thereby the ornamental appearance of the pressed rib or spoke structure or depressed area that may be produced in the selected circular work hardened area.

An important object of the present invention is to provide sheet metal wheel covers with circular drawn areas having novel deeply drawn spoke or spoke-like rib formations or depressed area portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a work hardened area of a sheet metal member such as a wheel cover, spoke or rib-like or depressed, configurations of substantially greater depth than would normally be permitted in such an area without fracturing incident to the drawing of the configurations.

A further object of the invention is to improve substantially the ornamental appearance of vehicle wheel covers made from drawn sheet metal by providing the same with spoke or rib-like or depressed ornamentation of novel substantially contrasting finish appearance.

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Still another object of the invention is to attain contrasting ornamental surface appearance in a polished sheet metal surface in which all parts of the surface are initially uniformly polished to a lustrous finish.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an outer side elevational view of a wheel structure embodying features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged radial sectional view taken substantially on the line II-II of FIGURE 1;

FlGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a wheel structure embodying modifications of the ornamental effects attainable by the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary radial sectional view taken substantially on the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary radial sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing a further modification of the cover.

A wheel cover 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) according to the present invention is constructed and arranged to be applied in press-on, pry-off relation to the outer side of a vehicle wheel which may be of the conventional type having a disk spider wheel body *11 carrying a multi-flange, drop center tire rim 12 having an intermediate generally radially inwardly facing and axially and radially outwardly sloping flange 13 merging with a terminal flange 14. The tire rim is adapted to support a pneumatic tire and tube assembly, or a tubeless tire 15 as shown.

The wheel cover 1-0 comprises a one-piece sheet metal stamped and drawn circular body having a central crown portion 17 for overlying the central portion of the wheel body 11 and merging with an intermediate annular inwardly dished portion 18 from which extends generally radially and axially outwardly an outer annular marginal portion 19 for overlying the tire rim 12.

Means are provided for press-on, pry-off retention of the cover 1% on the wheel. Herein such retaining means are of the kind covered in my Patent No. 2,624,634 issued January 6, 1953. To this end, the outer marginal portion 19 of the cover has an underturned generally radially and axially inwardly extending continuous flange 24) adapted in assembly to bottom against the outer side of the tire rim adjacent juncture of the intermediate and terminal flanges thereof. Extending generally axially inwardly from the flange 20 is a continuous annular flange portion 21 that is of a smaller diameter than the axially outer portion of the intermediate flange 13 and has a series of generally axially inwardly extending finger extensions 22 provided with cover retaining terminals in the form of short and stiff radially and axially outwardly projecting terminal flanges 23 which are'engageable in gripping retaining relation against the inner surface of the intermediate flange 13 under resilient tension of the retaining fingers 22 and the continuous flange 21 from which the fingers extend.

To apply the cover to the outer side of the wheel, it is generally centered with respect to the wheel, it is generally centered with respect to the wheel and with a valve stem 24 extending through a suitable valve stem aperture 25 in the marginal portion of the cover. Then the cover is pressed axially inwardly to effect uniform engagement of the retaining fingers 22 with the tire rim flange 13. There may be from 8 to 16 of the retaining fingers 22, as preferred. 7 a

In making the cover 10, the method covered in my issued Patent 2,707,449 dated May 3, 1955, may be used.

According to such method, sheet brass of a suitable al- 10y or sheet steel, more especially stainless steel of suitable type, are worked by stamping and drawing into the desired form of the cover. It is contemplated that suitable sheet aluminum alloy may also be used. All of these materials are cold work hardenable and Will take a high lustrous polish, while the brass may be readily nickel plated and the stainless steel may be readily flash chrome plated. Moreover, in the cold working of the cover retaining flange structure 20, 21 and the fingers 22, as well as the overlying outer marginal flange 19 of the cover a high degree of resilience is attained which is quite advantageous for embodying eflicient retaining grip. ping characteristics in the retaining fingers 22 and the retaining terminals 23 thereof.

In order to attain novel, ornamental styling effect, it may be desirable to provide the cover with an arrangement of spoke ribs 27 and intermediate grooved portions 28 in a circular area of the cover body. In the present instance, such circular area comprises the side wall of the crown 17. On the other hand, it could just as well comprise the intermediate dished annular cover portion 18. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the outwardly projecting ribs 27 are disposed in generally spoke-like radial arrangement emanating from a central portion of the crown 17 and emerging at their ends in an annular radially outer and axially inner extremity portion 26 of the crown adjacent juncture thereof with the dished in annular portion 18 of the cover. The spoke ribs 27 are preferably substantially narrower than the intermediate dished in portions 28 of the crown. Each of the spoke-ribs 27 projects substantially outwardly beyond the dished in portions 28 and has, in the present instance, a crown that is of substantial width and is arched outwardly while opposite side walls 29 merge into the intermediate dished in or depressed portions 28.

In view of the cold working to which the material of the crown 17 is subjected in drawing the same to shape, relative pressing of the material in the circular portion of the crown in which the ribs 27 and the intermediate dished portions 28 are formed would normally have to be carefully controlled to a limited extent in order to avoid rupturing the material. However, it will be observed that at the longitudinal center portions of the ribs 27 they are of quite substantial depth relative to the dished in intermediate portions 28. This is accomplished according to the present invention by selectively or locally annealing the circular area of the cover in which the ribs 27 are formed. That is, after the cover has been fully drawn and shaped including formation of the cover retaining underturned marginal flange structure, the cir cular area of the cover to be ribbed is fully annealed by any preferred method to return it substantially to the original unworked softness. Since it is highly desirable to maintain full work hardening and thereby resilience in the outer marginal portion 19 and the retaining flange structure 20, 21 and the fingers 22, such portions of the cover are carefully shielded and protected against annealing thereof.

After the selected circular area has been annealed, the entire face of the cover is polished to a high luster in automatic high speed equipment. Then the cover is placed in a forming die wherein the spoke ribs are pressed up in the polished annealed section, while the remainder of the annealed section remains in the dished original shape to provide the intermediate portions 28.

A highly desirable result of the deep drawing of the spoke ribs 27 resides in that the spoke ribs, or at least the outer surfaces of the sides 29 of the spoke ribs are provided with substantially contrasting finish appearance as compared to the surface of the intermediate portions 28 or the remainder of the outer face surface areas of the cover, especially where the entire outer surface of the cover has been polished prior to the rib drawing steps. This contrasting finish efiect arises due to the stretching of the material in the ribs when displacing the same from the dished original position of the material to the final deeply drawn displaced position thereof. Due to such stretching, the polished surface assumes a satiny, nonlustrous appearance. Where the crests of the ribs 27 are, subsequent to the drawing thereof, buffed, they will resume a polished or shiny appearance but the sides 29 of the ribs will remain with the satiny finish. Plating of the outer face of the cover as by flash chrome plating maintains the contrasting finish of the several surface areas. Thus, there is afforded a desirable contrast in the finish of the cover emphasizing the spoke ribs in the finished cover. Of course, if a more intense contrast is desired the intermediate areas 28 may be painted or enameled but this adds a cost factor that is unnecessary in view of the novel contrasting finish attained as described hereinabove.

As an alternative, a highly desirable ornamental effect may be attained where, instead of the ribs 27 being pressed out of the annealed dished area, the areas 28 intermediate the spoke rib configurations are pressed or displaced to provide depressions of substantial depth between the spoke portions. In such event, not only the sides 29 of the spoke portions 27 but also the entire depressed areas 28 between the spoke portions are provided with the satiny finish surface attained by the surface grain separation resulting from the stretching. Furthermore, thereby the intermediate depressed, stretched areas afford work hardened reinforced connections between the central and radially outer hard portions of the cover, thus bridging across the annealed softer area, similarly as is effected by the spoke ribs 27 where they are pressed up out of the initially dished annealed area as described hereinabove. It will be appreciated, of course, that where the areas 28 are pressed in the crests of the spoke ribs 27 will retain their polished finish, thus affording a pleasing contrast between the spoke ribs and the depressed satin finish areas.

Many and varied ornamental effects and combinations can be attained by the present invention. Thus, in addition to the examples already described herein, another interesting example is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein a cover 45 of the full disk type is shown adapted for disposition over the outer side of a vehicle wheel including a wheel body 47 supporting a tire rim having the usual base flange 48, outer generally radially outwardly directed and axially outwardly facing side flange 49, generally axially outwardly directed and radially inwardly facing intermediate flange 50, and terminal flange 51 constructed and arranged to support a pneumatic tire and tube assembly or tubeless tire 52.

On the cover 45 those areas which have been drawn to afford a satin finish are depicted in a more or less stippled fashion in order to afford a contrast on the drawing for those areas which retain the polished surface condition. A central crown portion 53 of the cover may have a plurality of symmetrically disposed depressed areas 54 provided with a satin finish and separated by a pattern of connected radiating polished crested spokes 55 which merge into an annular polished crown side bordering area 57.

Joined to the crown 53 in radially outwardly spaced relation and adapted to overlie the terminal flange 51 of the wheel is an outer marginal polished rib-like annular cover portion 53 with a deeply inwardly dished annular intermediate juncture cover portion 59 between the crown and the outer marginal cover portion and arranged to fit into the wheel in generally telescoped relation to the tire rim and more particularly the intermediate flange 50.

In this instance, the intermediate cover portion 59 is provided with a symmetrical annular series of depressed or pressed in satin finish areas 60 separated by polished crest generally radially extending but inwardly dished ribs or spoke-like areas or portions 61 which in this instance are substantially narrower than the intermediate satin finish areas 60. At their opposite radially inner and radially outer ends, the spoke ribs 61 merge with the polished crown area 57 and the outer marginal portion 58 of the cover, respectively.

In view of the extensive area involvement in satin finish of the cover 45, the entire cover plate is preferably annealed after the general contour drawing thereof and before polishing and drawing of the satin finish areas. Since the areas of the cover provided with the satin finish, including the large axially outwardly facing areas 54 and 60, as well as the side areas of the respective crown ribs 55 and the intermediate portion rib 61, and the substantial work hardening to which such areas are subjected by the cold drawing thereof to effect the satin finish, a substantially reenforced structure results in the completed cover to compensate for the overall softening of the cover plate as an incident to the annealing thereof.

For retaining the cover 45 on the wheel, self-retaining finger structure is provided, in the present instance comprising a series of generally axially outwardly projecting resilient fingers 62 provided in one piece integrally with the intermediate cover portion 59 by striking out of material from apertures 63 formed in the lowermost portions of the depressed satin finish areas 60 opposite the side flange 49 of the tire rim. Each of the apertures 63 is provided with a continuous generally axially inwardly extending narrow reenforcing and finishing flange .64 thereabout from the radially outer portion of which the retaining fingers 62 project as return bent extensions. At their axially outer terminals the retaining fingers 62 are provided with relatively short and stiff generally axially outwardly directed retaining terminals 65 that engage with retaining gripping thrust with the intermediate flange 50. The space between the generally radially outwardly facing radially outer side of the dished intermediate portion 59 of the cover and the intermediate flange '50 is sufficient to accommodate the retaining fingers 62 for resilient radial flexing so that when the cover is applied to the wheel, the retaining fingers 62 are adapted to flex from a greater diameter projection of the retaining terminals 65 to the diameter of the intermediate flange 50 as the cover is pressed axially inwardly and the retaining finger terminal 65 cam inwardly along the inner face of the intermediate flange. The resilient tension developed in the retaining fingers 62 causes the terminals 65 to engage quite firmly with the intermediate flange.

It will be understood that the retaining fingers 62 are punched from the depressed satin finish areas 60 after the working of the areas 60 and hardening thereof, so that the material of the fingers 62 is work hardened as an incident to the working of the areas 60, and then the fingers are further work hardened as the same are bent around into the return bent relation to project generally axially and radially behind the cover for engagement with the intermediate flange of the tire rim. This affords the substantial resilience in the retaining fingers 62 desirable for their wheel engaging and cover retaining function.

Since the retaining fingers 62 are of work hardened resilience, the cover can be readily pried from the wheel by means of a pry-off tool inserted behind an outer turned bead-like edge extremity reenforcement 67 opposite the tip of the terminal flange 51 and then behind a reenforcing and pry-off annular shoulder 68 spaced inwardly from the edge of the cover and preferably opposite the juncture between the intermediate flange 50 and the terminal flange 51. As the pry-oft force is applied, the retaining fingers 62 tend to retain their engagement with the rim flange but due to the substantially axially outward extension of the fingers and thereby axially outward leverage imposed incident to the pry-01f force, the finger terminals 65 are forced to relinquish their grip progressively as pryoif force is applied at successive points annularly about the cover until the cover has been released.

Not only for accommodation of wheel balancing weights behind the outer marginal portion 58 of the cover, but also for facility in insertion of a pry-off tool therebehind, the arrangement is such that the flanges 64 about the openings 65 engage against the side flange 49 of the tire rim as stops determining the axially inward disposition of the cover. In addition, this supports the cover free from the wheel body 47. It may also be observed that the ornamental effect can be heightened by having the tire rim and especially the side flange 49 thereof painted a desired color. While this color may be black, it may be any other preferred color.

It may also be noted that the apertures 63 are so disposed that a valve stem 69 is accommodated through one of the apertures.

Where preferred, the cover may be provided, instead of with retaining fingers integrally in one piece therewith, with separately formed and attached retaining structure. To this end, attention is directed to the modification of FIGURE 5 wherein a cover 45' is shown which in most respects may be identical with the cover 45 and arranged for disposition at the outer side of a vehicle wheel the same as the vehicle wheel in FIGURE 4, similar reference numerals identifying like parts in the cover of FIGURES 4 and 5 and the wheel. However, the cover 45 is equipped with a retaining ring 70 having a marginal portion crimped retainingly in place behind the outer marginal cover portion 58 by the underturned reenforcing and finishing bead flange 67. An intermediate annular stepped shoulder 71 in the retaining flange 70 is adapted to engage against the terminal flange 51 adjacent juncture thereof with the intermediate flange 59 for determining the axially inward disposition of the cover on the wheel. At its axially inner margin the retaining flange 70 has a series of generally axially inwardly extending resilient retaining fingers 72 which are radially flexible in the space between the inset intermediate cover portion 59 and the intermediate flange 50. Short and stiff generally radially and axially outwardly oblique turned retaining terminals 73 on the fingers 72 are engageable in retaining gripping relation against the inner face of the intermediate flange 50 for retaining the cover on the wheel. The construction and operation of the fingers 72 is preferably substantially like the construction and operation of the retaining fingers 22 in the cover of FIGURE 2. It Will be understood, of course, that although the satin finish pressed in areas 60 are not apertured in the cover 45', one of such areas may have a suitable aperture therein for receiving the valve stem 69 therethrough.

It should be observed that the satin or satiny finish provided according to the present invention is something quite different from a frosted or rubbed finish. A frosted finish may be effected by etching or sand blasting whereby particles are removed by the etching solution or by the sand grains impinged at high velocity against the surface or displaced by the force of the sand grains to form pits in the surface, whereby to effect diffusion of light striking the surface that has been treated. The result of etching or sand blasting is to effect an alteration of the surface by externally applied means. Such means are necessarily applied after the article has been drawn to shape and in the case of intricate shapes, especially, are very difficult to apply uniformly so as to gain a uniform finish. In any event, the superficial surface alteration mode of treatment is time consuming and expensive.

On the contrary, the present invention provides an identifiable structural modification in the characteristics of the material in the worked areas of the initially polished surface, whereby the observable satin non-lustrous, that is, dull finish resulting from the actual grain displacement of the material to a degree sufficient to break up the smooth polished orientation of the grains incident to the stretching effected in the drawing affords a uniform quite smooth light diffusing surface condition. Best results have been produced Where, in the annealing, the grain size is controlled to be between seven and nine according to the ASTM Standard Classification of Austeni-te Grain Size in Steels, and also found in the current edition of the SAE Handbook. In a wheel cover the smoothness and uniformity of the satin finish surface with freedom from tool marks or pits or other surface irregularities or roughness is of substantial importance since the surfaces of wheel covers are inherently subject to road dirt adherence in service and must be easily cleanable.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a drawn sheet metal wheel cover including an annular dished portion of substantial depth and circular adjoining portion with a resilient cover retaining structure thereon, said adjoining portion being of cold worked 'hardness to embody substantial resilience, said annular dished portion being substantially soft annealed and having pressed therein a series of deep work hardened ribs projecting from the dished surface of said annealed dished portion and affording reinforcement for the annealed portion.

2. In a sheet metal wheel cover, a drawn sheet metal member having concentric circular hard and soft portions, said hard portion being of substantial resilience and having cover retaining resilient flange structure thereon, said soft portion being substantially dished inwardly and having pressed to project generally axially outwardly a series of work hardened spoke ribs extending transversely thereacross and projecting to a substantial extent outwardly from the dished portion and affording reinforcement for the soft portion.

3. In a sheet metal wheel cover, a drawn sheet metal member having concentric circular hard and soft portions, said hard portion being of substantial resilience and having cover retaining resilient flange structure thereon, said soft portion being substantially dished inwardly and having pressed to project generally axially outwardly a series of spoke ribs extending transversely thereacross and projecting to a substantial extent outwardly from the dished portion, said dished portion having a polished surface, with surface areas of the spoke ribs of a dull satiny finish comprising the surface grains in said areas uniformly displaced as a result of stretching of the polished surface of the material in pressing the spoke ribs from the dished portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 170,422 Lyon Sept. 15, 1953 D. 171,303 Lyon Jan. 19, 1954 D. 172,292 Lyon May 25, 1954 D. 173,278 Lyon Oct. 19, 1954 2,148,212 Lyon Feb. 21, 1939 2,156,439 Takeda May 2, 1939 2,368,238 Lyon Jan. 30, 1945 2,404,390 Lyon July 23, 1946 2,624,634 Lyon Jan. 6, 1953 2,674,787 Lyon Apr. 13, 1954 2,683,628 Lyon July 13, 1954 2,725,257 Maurer et al. Nov. 29, 1955 2,757,977 Lyon Aug. 7, 1956 2,819,929 Hunt Jan. 14, 1958 

